Maybe voters weren’t loud enough? Back in 2014 Oregonians rejected a ballot measure to create a “top two” primary by a decisive 68% to 32% margin. The idea — opposed by organized labor but backed by business groups and billionaire Tim Boyle — was to get rid of the primary election as a method for Democrats and Republicans to choose their candidates. Instead, all candidates regardless of party preference would compete head-to-head in a primary election, and the top two vote-getters would face off in the general election. Voters approved similar initiatives in Washington in 2004 and in California in 2010.
Now former Oregon governor Ted Kulongoski, a Democrat, is teaming up with former Republican state representative Cheri Helt to sponsor a pair of prospective ballot initiatives that would eliminate the partisan primary and set up a top-two system in its place. To get on the November 2026 ballot, the campaign will have to gather over 156,231 valid signatures.
